Columbia, S.C. - The Gwinnett Gladiators fell behind by five goals to the Columbia Inferno before posting two late third period goals from Chad Painchaud and Matt Anderson but it wasn't enough in a 5-2 loss to the Inferno on Friday night at the Carolina Coliseum. With the loss, Gwinnett has solidified third place in the ECHL's South Division and will take on the sixth seed in the South Division in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Charlotte lost to South Carolina tonight. The Gladiators game at home tomorrow against Charlotte will determine who the Gladiators play in the first round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs. If Gwinnett wins, the Gladiators will face the Charlotte in the first round. If the Gladiators lose to the Checkers, the Gladiators will face Columbia in the first round.
Columbia jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the Gladiators at 6:08 of the first period. Sliding down the off wing, Julien Brouillette took a pass out of the conrner and snuck the puck past Gladiators netminder Dan Turple to the short side for the goal. Brad Ralph and Jeff Miles had the assists on the goal for Columbia.
Ralph pushed the Inferno lead to two goals with just 1:30 left in the first period. Ralph found a loose puck in the slot and flicked a second chance opportunity over an outsprawled Turple for the marker. Joel Hanson set up the goal as he worked the puck off the back dasherboard before it was tapped off his stick leaving it in the slot for Ralph. Miles also had an assist on the goal for Columbia.
Columbia extended their lead to 4-0 with a pair of second period goal. Jeremy Schenderling pushed the Colubmia lead to 3-0 at 5:18 of the second period. Sliding into an opening in the slot, Schenderling took a pass from owen Fussey and ripped a snapshot past Turple for the marker. Todd Perry also had an assist on the goal for the Inferno.
Brouillette notched his second goal of the game at 8:50 of the second period to give the Inferno the four goal lead. Brouillette flicked the puck over Turple's shoudler from point blank range for the marker. Hanson and Ralph had the assists on the goal for the Inferno.
Columbia extended their lead to 5-0 in the third period on a goal by Chris Sparre. Working down the right wing, Sparre ripped a slap shot past Turple for the goal from the right wing circle. Jeremy Hall added an assist on the goal at 4:37 of the third period.
Gwinnett posted a pair of goals just 31 seconds apart to cut the Inferno lead to three goals later in the thrid period. Chad Painchaud snapped Todd Ford's shutout bid with his 8th goal of the season. Painchaud, open in the slot, took a centering feed from Joe Grimaldi before ripping the puck past Ford for the marker at 5:03 of the third period.
Matt Anderson pulled Gwinnett back within three goals at 5:34 of the third period. Dancing into the slot, Anderson slipped past the Inferno defense before flicking the puck past Ford for the marker for Gwinnett. Grimaldi had his second assist of the game on the goal. The Gladiators, though, could get no closer in the loss.
Turple finished with 27 saves in the loss for Gwinnett. Both teams went 0-for-6 on the power play in the game.
The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Saturday, April 5th as they host the Charlotte Checkers at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:35 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game online via AccessNorthGa.com on Audio Streaming Channel 3.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.
The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com
The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.
Saturday
May 3rd, 2025
6:57PM
